American School of Lutherie
expert training for luthiers of all levels

 

 

 

CONTEMPORARY GUITAR MAKING This unique five day seminar offers an inside look at every aspect of modern lutherie: from wood selection, voicing and design, to building methods, jigs and the marketplace. This week will have a lasting impact on the depth of your understanding, whether you're an experienced luthier or just beginning in the craft. February 1 - 5, 2010 See Course Description for details.

 

 

SMALL SHOP PRODUCTION SMALL SHOP PRODUCTION is a five day workshop that invites you to take your work to the next level by incorporating the most useful jigs, fixtures and other easily-made devices, dedicated work stations and professional workflow concepts, in ways that suit to your own personal workspace, resources and goals.   March 15 - 19 See Course Description for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HANDS-ON GUITAR MAKING Spend two high-energy weeks working together with Charles, learning the methods and techniques used by today's most creative successful luthiers. Build you own high quality classical or steel string guitar in a small group setting designed to maximize your learning and the quality of your work. February 15 - 27      Steel String See Course Description for details.

 

 

ADVANCED DESIGN FEATURES ADVANCED DESIGN FEATURES is a five day in-depth survey of double tops, elevated fingerboards, laminated rims, compound cutaways, adjustable necks, sound ports, beveled arm-rests and the many other popular new design features found on today's high-end hand-made guitars.   November 16 - 20 April 5 - 9 See Course Description for details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WELCOME TO ASL

Greetings, Charles Fox here. Thanks
for your interest in the American School of Lutherie. For nearly 40 years it's been my pleasure to teach the craft of guitar making and offer my best council to folks seeking to learn it. With so many schools and other learning options to choose among, I've included below some advice on finding the best fit for you, which I hope you'll find useful.

ASL is the original and longest established school for luthiers
in North America. Since 1973 many hundreds of beginning
and experienced craftspeople have passed through our doors, learning valuable skills and gaining powerful insights into this challenging work. We've introduced the craft to many of today's established luthiers, and guided experienced builders to new levels of mastery. Along the way we've developed this craft's basic learning model and created the teaching formats used by guitar making classes everywhere.

ASL specializes in intensive, short-term, full-immersion workshops designed for busy working adults - beginners and experienced guitar makers for whom long-term study isn't an option. One-week seminars and two-week hands-on workshops offer a choice of lutherie learning experiences, all designed to provide a strong foundation for future work on your own. Classes are small, the environment is collegial and stimulating. We have good time sharing information, and you'll likely make a friend or two with whom to stay in touch and compare notes as you move forward on your own.

Currently scheduled classes are posted on this page. We usually set course dates no more than 3-4 months prior to each class, to keep the rest of our life (guitar production, travel, etc) flexible. Please check this page periodically for schedule updates.

You'll find class details in our COURSE DESCRIPTIONS section, and answers to most frequently asked questions on our FAQ page. Feel free to email any questions, or call us. Denise or I will be happy to chat with
you in person.

SELECTING A SCHOOL

With so many lutherie classes to choose from today, you'll need to explore the field and weigh your options carefully. A good place to start is the comprehensive list of education opportunities at www.luth.org/links/schools. Getting a sense of each program's particular emphasis and strength is important for finding the best fit for you. I hope the following suggestions are useful to you in this regard.

Because each individual's mix of personality, resources and goals is unique, no single lutherie school or training program can be the best choice for everyone. Some of you are looking for a strong foundation experience to support future self-directed learning. Fine. We can help, that's what we do. Some of you are looking to build your own dream guitar. Also fine, but not what we do here. Some of you might prefer to minimize your initial challenge by spending a week or so in a supervised setting assembling a kit of pre-made parts. Equally fine, and opportunities for this sort of experience are available. Some of you are young folks looking to learn skills that qualify you for work in a guitar factory. Such schools exist and are easy to find. For some of you, building a guitar one night each week at a community college might be just the thing for getting your luthier's feet wet. And some of you are looking for a long-term, supervised, comprehensive education in the craft. If this describes you, be sure to include Bryan Galloup's school in your research: www.galloupguitars.com/school.htm. You'll be in great hands. These and many other approaches to lutherie instruction exist to satisfy each of the many types of students drawn to this craft. We want you to make the right choice.

The wild card in all of this is the quality of instruction. Teaching skills don't necessarily come with the position. To determine what quality of instruction to expect, you can either talk to a teacher's previous students or visit a school and sit in on a class. You can experience a teacher directly by calling him or her on the phone with your questions, but please always respect the value of a craftsperson's time. Such a chat should give you a good idea of a teacher's knowledge, style and willingness to helpful, and how well you're likely to work with and learn and from him or her. Beyond all this, a teacher's years of experience, general reputation, and record of accomplishment in the field is there for you to consider.

So, your homework has already begun. Explore the many lutherie education opportunities, weigh your options and find a learning situation that fits your personality, resources and goals. Wherever you choose to study, we want you to come away from the experience confident that you made the right choice and that you're solidly prepared to pursue a lifetime of continued learning on your own.